NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Tuesday directed the Centre to respond to a petition filed by the National Sports Club of India (NSCI), which sought compensation for the acquisition of a portion of its premises for the development of an integrated transit corridor.
A bench comprising Justices Prathiba M Singh and Amit Sharma instructed the relevant authorities to calculate the compensation due to the club, along with applicable interest, and file an affidavit detailing the computation. The next hearing is scheduled for March 7.
The NSCI, through its plea, sought intervention from the Ministry of Urban Development for determining compensation for 8,261.81 square meters of its land situated along Mathura Road and Purana Qila Road. The club’s counsel, Hasan Murtaza, argued that despite repeated representations to the Land and Development Office since 2019, no concrete steps were taken to resolve the matter.
The petition also highlighted the historical significance of the lease agreement. The club was granted perpetual lease rights to an 8.6-acre parcel of land by the President of India, effective from June 13, 1951, under a perpetual lease deed dated June 27, 1956.
According to the plea, under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation, and Resettlement Act, 2013, and related provisions, the lessee is entitled to fair compensation when the land is acquired for public purposes.
The NSCI further referred to a Supreme Court ruling affirming that lessees are entitled to compensation for leasehold rights when such land is acquired for public purposes.